In several cities of Russia on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Victory went to the RAF parade. The large-scale staged for the Muscovites in the sky over the capital flew 75 aircraft and helicopters. Compared to this, in Novosibirsk it was much more modest: there the parade was attended by only 10 units of air equipment. However, the city’s residents are saved exclusive together with modern machinery above the city flew fighter, the MiG-3 party war.
This, the veteran has become a real “highlight” of the program an air parade in the capital of Siberia. “Closing parade squadron in the sky over the Novosibirsk flew the MiG-3… the Plane was piloted by the Director of the Siberian research Institute of aviation honored test pilot of the Russian Federation Vladimir E. Badger” – said the news Agency.
the Car bearing the number 14, which it is, indeed, participated in the battles of the great Patriotic war. And not just involved – in the information that you were able to find search in the archives, this Moment in the first months of the war, he shot down 6 German planes.
Military biography current winged “birthday” was, alas, not long. 2 Oct 1941 the managers of our fighters covering the attack aircraft, was attacked by four “Messer”. In the ensuing dogfight, all three MiG were shot down. Of the pilots were lucky to survive only one – the Lieutenant Ivan Krapivko. He was able to leave the falling plane and descend by parachute. A damaged fighter crashed in a swampy lake near the town of Ostashkov (now Tver oblast).
In a peat bog of the MiG-3 had been nearly 7 decades. At the end of zero the place of his fall was discovered by the search engines. Need to spend a lot of time and effort before the old fighter managed to raise from the swamp quagmire. Due to the fact that in 1941 the plane crashed on the water surface, it is not too affected, and peat pillow, which all these years was buried the Moment is, according to experts, one of the best preservatives for old technology. Due to all these facts ostashkovskiy fighter was suitable for restoration to flying condition.
These toughest work was done by specialists of the Novosibirsk company “Overactivate”. For a start they had to dismantle the whole design of the fighter literally to death – and try to Unscrew one threaded connection, who spent 70 years in the dirt and mud!
Then for the most critical elements in the samples of “native” parts needed to make them exact copies. And yet – manufactured again by the original factory drawings (which are also still needed to find!) the wooden parts of the fuselage to replace the completely rotten.
the Saga for “reanimation” winged veteranthe great Patriotic lasted almost three years. The first flight of the revived retro fighter jet made in 2014. They were ruled by the most experienced test pilot Vladimir Barsuk.
some interesting details related to the restoration of the current “hero of the day” MiG-3 at the request of the correspondent of “MK” said Oleg Leiko – specialist in the restoration of vintage aircraft with years of experience.
the MiG – 3 is a high-altitude fighter-interceptor. Aircraft of this type after the war, complete air part of the air defense of Moscow. It was on a MiG-3 Soviet pilots often flew to meet many “squadron” of the German “Junkers”, on their way to bomb Moscow, was engaged in battle with them covering the “Messerschmitt”… In these battles, many of our planes were shot down, so in the suburbs, in the neighbouring regions recorded a considerable number of seats fall “third” moments. However, the vast majority of cases, even after excavations at the site of the crash, searchers find only a pile of twisted parts and assemblies. To find any surviving copy is very difficult. The more valuable “treasure”, raised from the swamp near Ostashkov.
the Production of these aircraft was discontinued in 1942. In total I managed to collect over 3000 pieces. Of them today are only a few instances. Including 6 MiGs, restored or nearly restored to flying condition.
The first of them was restored and raised on the wing about 12 years ago. The work of the Novosibirsk experts was commissioned by a private collector from the USA. So the fighter has since been in America. Two more flying MiG is now in Russia, as far as I know, both of them restored by the company “Aviarestavratsiya” commissioned by the famous Russian collector and enthusiast of the preservation of old machinery. One of the MiGs was shown at the international aerospace show MAKS and is now kept in a hangar at Zhukovsky. The other – the one that is now participated in the aviation parade, remains in Novosibirsk. Restored (also for private orders) three such fighter, but the work on them is not yet completed.
Everything is ready retro aircraft have been tested and received the official “passport” certificates of airworthiness. That is, they are allowed to rise into the air.
Naturally, this needs to be a guarantee of reliability winged machine. This is why those vintage aircraft being restored to flying condition, a significant portion of parts and replaced with newly manufactured copies. Although the restorers are trying to follow a strict pattern matching of not only geometry, but also materials.
– And what about the engine?
– of Course��about “mother” the motor of the plane that crashed many years ago and had lain all this time in the ground or under water, to put in order is almost impossible. Although we once managed on the test rig to run such engine during the war, and he even worked for a while. But in any case, even the “reanimated” the old engine nobody flying the plane will not put – too risky. Therefore, for the restoring of vintage instances use new engines strictly sample.
– what?
– for example, the MiG-3 instead of his “regular” engine AM-35 set us Allison V1710. These motors were produced from the late 1930s until the mid-1940-ies. They put on the famous “Airacobra”, the “Kittyhawk”, “Mustangs” and other aircraft during the 2nd world war. At the time, produced a lot of “allisonb”, much of which remained in the warehouses until now. So no problem to bring to restoring vintage aircraft new engine, quite suitable to him at the time of manufacture. And install it on a Soviet fighter isn’t hard – you have to slightly alter the design of the motor frame. In addition, the Americans then, in the middle of the last century, has provided a full range of screws for their “allisonb”, so it is easy to choose among them almost the exact equivalent of “native” “migovskogo” screw.
now there are Many restored to flying condition vintage planes?
– It depends where. Abroad the account goes on hundreds and even thousands. According to General estimates in the world today, more than 2200 such healthy cruise veterans. Including about 1,500 in America, a few hundred in England. In many countries of the West collectibles such equipment is very popular. As for Russia… In recent years we have restored several dozen Soviet aircraft during the 2nd world war. But most of them went abroad: it was the private collectors. The exact number is not called, but in the collections of Russian fans of retro technology, you can count about 15 restored to flying condition of airplanes in wartime. Among them, besides those already mentioned, the MiG-3 is the Il-2, fighters I-16, I-15bis, I-153 “Chaika” biplane Po-2.
is it Possible to organize the participation of some of these “Oldies” in the flypast conducted for Muscovites? – For example Novosibirsk…
– We have 20 years trying to promote this idea. But it has stalled… But at the last Max, the festival of retro-aircraft “aces of the 2nd world war” in Monino near Moscow in the summer of 2004, these flights were conducted.
Btw:
In the UK, annually more than a dozen air show featuring planes of the last war. One of the most popular is the festival of retro-aircraft at Duxford – Flight Past. In the parade over the heads of thousands of spectators fly the legendary cars of English manufacture – “Spitfires”, “hurricanes”, “Lancaster”.
this part in such demonstrations many of the owners of antique aircraft at least partially pay for the cost of their recovery. Fees for these shows look very impressive. For example, each collector involved with his vintage plane in a flight demonstration program of the international festival and could receive in royalties and fees “for the depreciation of equipment” of 5000, 7000 and even 10,000 euros. But the rate for guests already mentioned the air show at Duxford – thrill: for poluchaemoi flight in the cockpit seat training fighter “Spitfire” during the 2nd world you need to lay out more than 2.5 thousand pounds. However, even these amounts cover only a small proportion of the costs of obtaining the coveted aircraft veteran: the price of one aircraft during the war, restored to flying condition, can reach several million euros.
